North Carolina’s win over Wyoming on Tuesday night gave Tar Heel Nation something it had been waiting for: relief. The Tar Heels were shaky early, especially on the glass, but they settled in and took control behind a much stronger second half.
The rebounding issues showed up right away. In the first four minutes, North Carolina was beaten on the boards 4-1 and gave up three offensive rebounds. That drew plenty of frustration from fans watching the game unfold.
“This is the worst rebounding team in Carolina history”
“On everything I love I could rebound better than this team 😭”
The early tone wasn’t much better from the starting group, which looked sluggish out of the gate. But once the bench started to make an impact, the game changed quickly. Freshman forward Adams checked in before the under-15-minute media timeout and immediately made his mark, blocking a shot on his first defensive possession before knocking down back-to-back 3-pointers.
Isaiah Denis also gave the Tar Heels a lift early. He scored eight points and helped steady things when the offense needed a spark.
“Isaiah Denis is making his presence known in the Dean Dome tonight.”
Meanwhile, Able was quiet for much of the night. After being a non-factor in the 39-point win over Wofford last week, he didn’t get on the board until the two-minute mark of the first half. He did help stop a Wyoming run with a steal and a breakaway dunk, but his slow start stood out.
Keita’s rebounding remains a work in progress, but his rim protection has already translated to Chapel Hill. By the first media timeout in the second half, the former FC Barcelona center had five blocks.
Then Terrence Brown took over. The Utah transfer scored North Carolina’s first eight points of the second half and kept finding ways to get to the rim, whether by finishing through contact or drawing fouls. He gave the Tar Heels the breathing room they needed.
“Brown the only one with no trouble finishing layups tonight”
From there, North Carolina looked like a different team. Brown and Keita drove the surge, each leaning into what they do best. At one point, the Tar Heels had hit 8 of their last 9 shots, pushing the lead to 56-42 with under 12 minutes left.
The difference was on the boards. Once North Carolina started controlling the glass, the rest of its game opened up. The Tar Heels were able to get out in transition the way Michael Malone wants, and that helped them separate from Wyoming.
“#UNC leads 56-42 at the 11:41 mark.Turns out when you rebound the ball, good things happen. UNC winning the glass 9-6 this half and outscoring the Cowboys 25-13. Shooting 10-13 (76.9%) and holding Wyo to 6-16 (37.5%) will do that, too.Sayon Keita: 13 pts, 7 rebs, 6 blks”
“Terrence Brown & Sayon Keita score 18 of North Carolina’s first 21 points in the second half.”
In Other News...
Bill Belichick's UNC Future Just Got More Uncertain
Bill Belichicks second season at North Carolina has brought some on-field progress, with the Tar Heels sitting 5-4 after a rough first year under the longtime coach. Even so, there has been no conversation between Belichick and the university about changing his current contract or mapping out what comes next, which leaves his status in a more uncertain place than the record alone might suggest.
The backdrop here is more complicated than wins and losses. North Carolina recently conducted an investigation into the football program, and that process already led to the resignations of general manager Michael Lombardi and defensive coordinator Steve Belichick. With those changes still fresh and no contract talks underway, the future of the programs most prominent figure remains an open question. [Read more 🡒]
UNC Could Land One More Recruit That Changes This Class
North Carolina already has a headliner in five-star small forward DeMarcus Henry for its 2027 class, but the next few days could tell the bigger story. With the open signing period beginning soon, the Tar Heels are in position to turn one elite commitment into something even more imposing if another top target decides to jump in.
Five-star forward C.J. Rosser is still weighing his options between North Carolina and Kentucky, and there is no confirmed decision yet. For a class that already has real star power, landing Rosser would change the conversation around what the Tar Heels are building, and the timing makes the next move especially important. [Read more 🡒]
UNC Lands A Physical Defender Who Could Grow Into Much More
North Carolina added another piece to its future defense when Treveon Lewis, a 2027 linebacker from East Paulding High School in Dallas, Ga., announced his commitment on social media. Lewis is expected to be on campus for a recruiting event, giving the Tar Heels an early look at a prospect whose game already stands out for its physical edge and willingness to attack downhill.
Lewis arrives with the kind of profile that can appeal to a program looking beyond the immediate future, since the evaluation around him points to a defender who could keep growing into a more complete player with time. For UNC, the commitment is less about instant impact and more about securing a young linebacker with traits that suggest there may be plenty more development ahead. [Read more 🡒]